Johnson & Johnson and J.P. Morgan Chase both reported earnings this morning
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are trading comfortably higher this morning, propped up by upbeat results from blue-chips Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM), the former of which reported first-quarter profit and sales that topped estimates. Futures on the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are also climbing as investors unpack an improved cornavirus outlook. In New York City, where the COVID-19 outbreak is at its apex, Governor Andrew Cuomo said yesterday that the "the worst is over ... if we continue to be smart going forward."
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
Schaeffer's Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone revisits a key SPX trendline to watch.Puts are picking up speed on Delta Air Lines stock. Plus, CHK announces reverse stock split; Quest Diagnostics furloughs workers; and Wells Fargo reports earnings.
Today will bring a muted economic calendar with just import and export price data on tap, though several names will ease Wall Street back into earnings season, includingFastenal (FAST), Infosys (INFY), and United Airlines (UAL).
Markets is Asian ended higher, led by the Nikkei in Japan which tacked on 3.1% as financial giant Softbank Group recouped its earlier losses, suffered after the firm predicted its Vision Fund to book a loss of 1.8 trillion yen (or $16.73 billion), for 2019. Meanwhile, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.6%, the South Korean Kospi surged, 1.7%, and the Shanghai Composite in China enjoyed a 1.6% gain, as traders looked at a better-than-expected 6.6% decline in exports for March.
A potential end to some coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions in several European countries, including Spain and Germany, has the major bourses higher midday. The French CAC 40 is up 0.1%, the London FTSE 100 is up 0.6%, and the German DAX has added 1.5%.